may have sat there in 182 5," Morrissey says. By way of explanation he says that this once graced the mansion of George Calmes in what is now Ridgeley, West Virginia. Calmes had two daughters, one married Roger Perry, the other married John Hoye. It was on the latter's land that the first coal was mined in Allegany County. Morrissey goes on to say "We know that General Lafayette was entertained by the Calmes. We know the settee was there. But we don't know whether the two got together."

When Morrissey took over the building in 193 8 it had been a rough and tumble beer joint, with a dance every Saturday night and a fight during intermission. His first move was to lock the doors for: "we could see that a few changes had to be made." From his home in Cumberland he brought antiques he had collected while serving as part-time chauffeur for the late Frank Lee Carl, once dean of Western Maryland newspaper men, and an historian of the area. It was from Carl that Morrissey learned to love history while roaming the countryside, rummaging through cellars and attics.

Maryland's traditions are mirrored in collections of glass bar bottles from early Maryland distilleries; nickle-plated race-horse shoes, hoof scrapers, and shoe removers; and two hand-made oyster knives from the Chesapeake. Then there is an Indian painting on calf-skin, a beaded Indian knife case, and a tomahawk found in the nearby hills.

The ancient carved back bar is covered with valuable bisque, china, cut-